Ambulance stretchers for carrying patients

ABSTRACT

An ambulance stretcher for transportation of patients, which has two longitudinal frame beams (2) with connecting cross-brackets (18), all of which together form a supporting frame. On top of the supporting frame a patient bed (4-7) is arranged, which is equipped with several transverse articulated or folding points (8-10) for adjustment of the patient bed into any wanted position in its longitudinal direction. Under the patient bed part (6), which is firmly fixed to the supporting frame, a rigid auxiliary frame (18a, 32, 34) is formed to join the frame beams (2). The auxiliary frame part has articulated points (35) for fixing adjustable patient bed parts (5, 7) and articulated points (33) for fixing supporting rods (11, 36) of the adjustable patient bed parts. The frame beams (2) are rigid through the region of the auxiliary frame and extending to at least one end of the stretcher.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an ambulance stretcher for transportation ofpatients.

A conventional ambulance stretcher usually has two longitudinal framebeams with connecting cross-brackets, which form a supporting frame withbearing wheels in order to facilitate placing the stretcher onto theunderframe in the ambulance. Such an underframe in an ambulance canusually be pulled outwardly from the inside of the ambulance. Further,these known stretchers have telescopically adjustable handles at eachend of both frame beams. In addition, a chair is usually provided in theambulance to enable carrying a patient in narrow places. On leaving theambulance to fetch a patient who is to be transported, one does notalways know beforehand whether the patient has to be transported inprone or in sitting position. Furthermore, sometimes the lack of spacecan make the use of a conventional normal ambulance stretcher verycomplicated or even impossible. This often leads to situations where,for instance, one leaves the ambulance with a carrying stretcher andestablishes on reaching the patient that the situation calls for acarrying chair, which means an extra visit to the ambulance. Therefore,an aim of the invention is to produce an ambulance stretcher fortransportation of patients which makes it possible to readily convertthe stretcher into, a carrying chair, whereby the extra visit to theambulance is avoided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the following, the invention is presented with reference to theenclosed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a stretcher, as per the invention,in normal stretcher position,

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic top view of a stretcher, as per FIG. 1, wherethe patient bed is taken off,

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side view of a stretcher, as per the invention,turned into a carrying chair position, and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a modified construction ofa supporting frame of a stretcher in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to FIGS. 1-3, the stretcher has two longitudinal frame beams 2with an articulated part 20 that divides the frame beams into two parts3a and 3b. The parts 3a and 3b of the frame beams are rigid and sodimensioned that the frame beam part 3b at the patient head end issubstantially longer than the frame beam part 3a at the patient footend. The ratio of the length 3b:3a is, advantageously about 6:1 to 3:1,and suitably about 4.5:1. The frame beams 2 are joined together withcross-brackets 18, which form together with the frame beams 2 asupporting frame. On top of the supporting frame a patient bed isarranged, which is formed of several parts 4, 5, 6, 7 that are furnishedwith articulated parts 8, 9, 10 enabling adjustment of the patient bedinto a wanted position. In addition, the patient bed is fitted withsupporting means 11, 12, 13 in the supporting frame and which, in theillustrated embodiment, are joined to parts 5 and 7 of the patient bed.There can, of course, be a greater number of such supporting means,their construction being such as to allow turning the different parts ofthe patient bed into wanted angular positions. For instance, the patienthead end 7 of the patient bed is advantageously furnished, on bothsides, with a supporting rod (not shown), which is at one endarticulated close to the top end lower edge (the outmost top end edge)and at its other end articulated in the frame beam part 3b. In addition,this support rod is advantageously furnished with handles at the headend in order to facilitate carrying the stretcher in sitting position.The articulated point 20 in part 3b of the frame beam is advantageouslyfurnished with locking means, by means of which the stretcher is mademore rigid in its sitting position. At both ends of frame beam 2 thereare bearing wheels 14, which are mostly used to facilitate the placingof the stretcher into the ambulance. Usually, the ambulance is furnishedwith a stretcher underframe with locking means which, due tointerlocking with the axle journals of the bearing wheels, anchor thestretcher to the underframe during transportation. At both ends of theframe beam 2 there are telescopically adjustable handles 16. Articulatedpart 20 divides the supporting frame into a supporting part 30 at thepatient foot end and a frame part 31 at the patient head end. Thesupporting part 30 at the patient foot end can be folded backwardlyunder frame part 31 and can be locked into a wanted angular position αwith respect to frame part 31.

Further, the supporting part 30 at the patient foot end is equipped withtransport wheels 15 fastened, for instance, by means of a supportingplate 24 to the frame beam part 3a. The transport wheels 15 have asubstantially bigger diameter than that of the bearing wheels 14 at bothframe beam ends. The transport wheels 15 enable pushing a sittingpatient with the stretcher folded into sitting position or pushing thestretcher in the position of a carrying stretcher.

Furthermore, the stretcher according to this invention is furnished withadjusting and/or locking means 22, 23 in order to adjust and lock thestretcher into a wanted angular position. In the illustrated embodiment,a U-shaped adjustment/locking member 22 is articulated to the head endpart 3b of both frame beams and extends between both frame beams. Insitting position, the lower edge of member 22 hits against stopper 23 inthe foot end part 3b of both frame beams. In the illustrated embodimentthere are three such stoppers. In the illustrated embodiment, when thestretcher is folded into sitting position, portion 4 of the patient bedrests against the ground when the stretcher is parked. In addition, inthe articulated 20 area of the foot end part 3b of the frame beam 2 asupport 19 is arranged that contacts the ground when the stretcher isparked and folded into sitting position.

Further, the stretcher has locking means in order to lock the supportingfoot end part 30 of the supporting frame and the head end part 31 of thesupporting frame into an angular position at 180°, where the frame beamparts 3a and 3b form an essentially straight supporting frame.

FIG. 4 shows a stretcher frame construction, where beams 2 are rigidthroughout. The beams are joined together with supporting parts 18. Twoadjacent supporting part 18a in the middle section of the stretcher areconnected with two supporting rods 34, at the outer ends of which thereare hinges 35 to allow articulated fixing of patient bed parts 5 and 7to them. Further, an auxiliary frame 32 is connected to supporting parts18a. At the top end of auxiliary frame 32, points of attachment arearranged for supporting rods 11 and 36, by means of which the patientbed parts 5 and 7 are supported at different desired angles with respectto the stretcher frame. Part 6 of the patient bed is firmly fixed ontosupporting rods 34. All forces from the patient are directed to thispart between supporting parts 18a, which is made rigid by auxiliaryframe 32 and supporting rods 34. Only this part of the frame must bemade rigid, among others rigid against torsion, so it will retain itsshape when loaded and inclined. Other parts of the frame can bedimensioned for smaller forces. The frame illustrated in FIG. 4 isapplicable also to the constructions as per FIGS. 1-3.

The stretcher frame may be fabricated of glass fiber or other materialwhich is a non-conductor of electricity.

What is claimed is:
 1. An ambulance stretcher for transportation ofpatients comprisingtwo longitudinal frame beams with connectingcross-brackets, all of which together form a supporting frame, the framehaving handles at each end of each beam; an adjustable patient bedmounted on top of the supporting frame, said patient bed havingarticulated or folding points for adjustment of the patient bed into awanted position in its longitudinal direction; a rigid frame rigidlyfixed to said supporting frame, said rigid frame being located below andrigidly supporting a middle portion of the patient bed in the middleportion of the stretcher, said rigid frame having first articulatedpoints for fixing said articulated or folding portions of the adjustablepatient bed and further articulated points for fixing members supportingsaid articulated or folding portions of said patient bed, said framebeams extending rigidly through the region of said rigid frame to atleast one end of the stretcher.
 2. An ambulance stretcher according toclaim 1 wherein said supporting frame comprises a foot end supportingmember located at a foot end of the stretcher, said foot end supportingmember being foldable backwardly under the supporting frame into anywanted angular position whereby the patient bed is substantiallyadjustable into a chair-forming position, and wherein the foot endsupporting member is furnished with bearing wheels.
 3. An ambulancestretcher according to claim 2 wherein the frame is fabricated ofnon-electrically conducting material.
 4. An ambulance stretcheraccording to claim 3 wherein the non-electrically conducting materialcomprises glass fiber.
 5. An ambulance stretcher according to claim 1wherein the frame is fabricated of non-electrically conducting material.6. An ambulance stretcher according to claim 5 wherein thenon-electrically conducting material comprises glass fiber.